Cougartown is not just a TV show. According to a recent CBS Morning Show and KDVR Fox News broadcast, cougars are a growing phenomenon sweeping the nation. Websites, television shows and even conventions are making cougars big business, and they aren't the only ones. World-renowned plastic surgeons Dr. John Millard and Dr. David Broadway, Board Certified plastic surgeons of bod:evolve in Denver, have recently commented on the increase in business driven by the cougar phenomenon.



A cougar is defined as a woman who dates men approximately 8 to 15 years younger than her, although women like Caroline Mankey- who was interviewed on the recent KDVR Fox News segment- have dated guys who are as much as 18 years younger. While once social stigma was attached to this intergenerational dating, celebrities and popular culture have made it an accepted phenomenon.

Some cougars claim to date these younger men because those are the men who are single, while others argue that all the men their own age are dating younger women. Still others just do it because it's fun. The increased equality between men and women has likely also contributed to the cougar trend, as women are now on equal footing both socially and professionally with men and have greater freedom and flexibility to date than ever before.

Regardless of the reason for the rise of the cougar phenomenon, the trend has clearly increased the demand for plastic surgery as women undergo various procedures to become "cougar-ready."

As women age, their skin loses elasticity, their facial fat shrinks and they become prone to wrinkles. Women, especially those who have had children, may also be unhappy with the state of their breasts, buttocks, thighs or stomachs. Women who are dating younger men may be driven to plastic surgery to correct these issues, especially as plastic surgery becomes increasingly main-stream. Furthermore, as Dr. David Broadway, of Bodevovle reports, these body-issues plaguing the would-be cougars are fortunately issues that can be fixed.

Dr. David Broadway and Dr. John Millard have pioneered techniques instrumental to the redesign of a woman's body image. The physicians have pioneered a program called a Hi Def body makeover, which makes use of advanced plastic surgery techniques including VASER lipo- an ultrasound liposuction technology that has revolutionized the industry. In addition to performing these procedures on patients in 32 states and nine countries, Broadway and Millard also teach other physicians the techniques.

Women routinely undergo this VASER lipo, either alone or in conjunction with other procedures, to improve their overall appearance and reshape their bodies. Other common "cougar-izing" procedures include breast augmentation, tummy tucks, or related procedures. The combination of a breast augmentation, liposuction and tummy tuck is often referred to as a {!mommy-makeover | mommy makeover} due to the popularity of combining these body-improving surgeries.

Many cougars will undergo these procedures, some having fat from their buttocks or stomachs moved to their breasts or having their waistlines surgically moved to make them look taller. The plastic surgery procedures can make these women more appealing to younger men, and can help to empower these women to feel great about the way they look.